According to this thread, PA has no licensing requirements for electricians!
Antique electrical connectors
- Thread starter JHZR2
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Well, brian, that's a play on words there.
At one time, I didn't need a permit to do anything on my house in Pottstown. I could do it all. Now as far as wiring, it was somewhat nebulous. Now in terms of service changes (upgrading from 60 to 100 or 200 amps) you ran into a semi-professional psuedo brick wall. When I called PECO saying that I needed to upgrade my service and needed them relocate the wire from the pole ..the customer service lady didn't know how to deal with me. She kept saying "You need to get it inspected!!" ..my reply was "How can I get it inspected before I install it?" ..this went back and forth until she forwarded me to the actual person that scheduled the line relocation and she, correctly this time, said "You need to contract an electical underwriter to certify that your service complies with code before the job starts. I'll send you the form for him to fill out upon his inspection." That is, I would arrange to get a document to them from the underwriter that the installation was proper. I was supposed to secure his service in advance of the actual installation and rerouting of the service cable.
Most of your smaller cities and townships accept a licensed electrician from any other community. They still have to have an underwriter slap his sticker on the service.
Some larger cities, to provide some internal revenue generation, require that the electrician be licensed in their borough. This ups the cost to the consumer. The action was usually promoted as a safety move due to too much potential for fire from underqualified or unqualified installers performing work. In reality (more so then not) it was to provide another way to channel the money for all types of electrical work via city hall. It provided the city licensed electrical outfits a captive audience.
..but so far as I know (knew) ..I can do it all ..as long as I get the guy to slap his sticker on it. The last time, it was $40. He came wading through the snow ..looked at the panel ...looked at the meter pan(s) ...told me I needed the grounding rod configured differently ...slapped his sticker on ..and signed his name to the form ..and left (he took my word on it that I would redo the grounding rod - I did).
At one time, I didn't need a permit to do anything on my house in Pottstown. I could do it all. Now as far as wiring, it was somewhat nebulous. Now in terms of service changes (upgrading from 60 to 100 or 200 amps) you ran into a semi-professional psuedo brick wall. When I called PECO saying that I needed to upgrade my service and needed them relocate the wire from the pole ..the customer service lady didn't know how to deal with me. She kept saying "You need to get it inspected!!" ..my reply was "How can I get it inspected before I install it?" ..this went back and forth until she forwarded me to the actual person that scheduled the line relocation and she, correctly this time, said "You need to contract an electical underwriter to certify that your service complies with code before the job starts. I'll send you the form for him to fill out upon his inspection." That is, I would arrange to get a document to them from the underwriter that the installation was proper. I was supposed to secure his service in advance of the actual installation and rerouting of the service cable.
Most of your smaller cities and townships accept a licensed electrician from any other community. They still have to have an underwriter slap his sticker on the service.
Some larger cities, to provide some internal revenue generation, require that the electrician be licensed in their borough. This ups the cost to the consumer. The action was usually promoted as a safety move due to too much potential for fire from underqualified or unqualified installers performing work. In reality (more so then not) it was to provide another way to channel the money for all types of electrical work via city hall. It provided the city licensed electrical outfits a captive audience.
..but so far as I know (knew) ..I can do it all ..as long as I get the guy to slap his sticker on it. The last time, it was $40. He came wading through the snow ..looked at the panel ...looked at the meter pan(s) ...told me I needed the grounding rod configured differently ...slapped his sticker on ..and signed his name to the form ..and left (he took my word on it that I would redo the grounding rod - I did).
The house in question was in New York. As for PA having no requirements, that is true. The only requirement is that each individual municipality be responsable for their own code enforcement based on state building code. Many smaller townships don't bother with this because it costs money, and they get away with violating state law. Others subcontract it to the lowest bidder to save as much $$$ as possible. They don't care if the job gets done, only that they have a signature and a name to report to the state.
Crashbox
$100 Site Donor 2026
I wish back-stabbed outlets, etc. were flat OUTLAWED! The UL should never have listed them in the first place IMNSHO.
I like soldered connections too, and it was one good aspect of K&T; however, as far as junction boxes go, I do know at one time a box was not required for K&T circuit splices or taps.
Although I'm not an electrician, there is one more thing that I do know about knob-and-tube wiring and feel it's important to note: until sometime in the 1950's or so, the NEC allowed somewhat higher amperages on K&T because the wire was installed in uninsulated cavities, thereby dissipating the heat. There are NUMEROUS potential hazards if someone "upgrades" their home with blown-in insulation and leaving the existing K&T in place, energized, made even more hazardous by original fuse sizing. I could go on but I won't...
I'm also a member of the electrical-contractor.net website- a real good bunch of folks there too although the focus of their board is for those in the trade (is it OK for me to 'plug' another board here?? Pun intended
[ December 27, 2005, 12:41 PM: Message edited by: Crashbox ]
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